It is shocking how arrogant Barack Obama and his leftist allies are. They ignored their constituents who crammed into town hall meetings to express their anger about big government slithering its way its way into health care and other parts of their lives. The administration even went so far as to characterize these protesters as being part of the fringe element of the GOP whose anger was manufactured.

As the country woke up to a new political landscape the morning after the Massachusetts special election, the White House tried to balance a tone of contrition with a message that the Obama administration believes it still has a mandate.

"There are messages here, we hear those messages but there is a tendency in this town ... to over blow things even beyond their importance," said David Axelrod, a top adviser to President Obama, on MSNBC's "Daily Rundown."

Axelrod signaled that the White House is not giving up on health-care reform.

"He believes there is a real crisis," Axelrod said. "He believes we have to deal with that crisis."

"We also have to take into account what voters were saying yesterday ... We will take that into account and then decide how to move forward," Axelrod said.

"But it's not an option to walk away from a problem that's only going to get worse."

Axelrod and White House press secretary Robert Gibbs appeared together exclusively on the show, choosing the hour-long political specialty program as the venue in which to test their messaging in the wake of Republican Scott Brown's win in Massachusetts.

Axelrod and Gibbs each said several times that they understand that there is real anger in the country, a pivot from this summer, when they dismissed those who angrily protested the health-care bill at town hall forums.

"There's a tremendous amount of anger," said Gibbs, who in August called the town hall protests "manufactured anger."

But Axelrod, known as the White House's "keeper of the message," argued that the anger in the country does not mean their agenda has been rejected.

So it's full steam ahead for big government. These are the actions of an arrogant, dismissive, and elitist leadership who truly believes it knows what is best for the American people in spite of their protests to the contrary. They are also the actions of leadership that has resigned itself to the losses will come as a result. As far as I'm concerned they can continue with their plans to ignore the American people. But soon they will see that few Democrats will come with them on their political suicide mission. Already Jim Webb, Claire McCaskill, Evan Bahy, Peter Anthony Weiner, and even Barney Frank have said it's time to pull back from the direction president, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid want to take this country.

Update: Well, well, well. If Obama wasn't going to listen to the Massachusetts voters, it seems he is going to listen to the Democrats who made it clear they will not carry his water for him any longer. The president who said he was going full steam ahead is walking that back a bit:

Obama insisted today that the Senate wait for Brown to be seated before they make any changes to its version of the health care reform legislation.

"Here's one thing I know and I just want to make sure that this is off the table: The Senate certainly shouldn't try to jam anything through until Scott Brown is seated," the president said. "People in Massachusetts spoke. He's got to be part of that process."

We're happy to hear that the president got the message. Well, part of the message. Take a look at this spin (emphasis mine):

"Here's my assessment of not just the vote in Massachusetts, but the mood around the country: the same thing that swept Scott Brown into office swept me into office," the president said in an exclusive interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos. "People are angry and they are frustrated. Not just because of what's happened in the last year or two years, but what's happened over the last eight years."

Riiiight. It's the last eight years. Not the massive, intrusive health care bill or the back room deals or the arrogance or the 12 trillion dollars in debt over the next ten years that he and the Democrats have run up. No way, it couldn't possibly be that because that would mean Obama would have to take responsibility. Passing the buck must be a involuntary reflex for this guy.

NEWS FLASH: Barry tells NBC that 'the Democrats should hold off on Health Care Reform' until Brown is seated. Also making noises about 'Republican input on things we can agree on that are in the current bill'.

What BULLSHIT! The current bill was written TOTALLY by Democrats. No Republican input was sought or desired. FUCK YOU BARRY! All you care about is your 'legislative legacy'.

If the Republicans are smart, they'll tell Barry to drop the bill and work on the economy. That they'll work on INCREMENTAL fixes to health care, AFTER THE ECONOMY IS ADDRESSED.

Those who do not learn the lessons of history are, well, stupid. Or perhaps President Obama and the Democratic leadership are just not up to the task of governing. The concept of "ruling" seems to be what they had in mind, but the American people don't want to be "ruled".

It is interesting that the reaction of President Obama to the electoral results is the same as the reaction of Pharoah to Moses and the plagues. The final result of his stubbornness is likely to be the same as the result of the Egyptian stubbornness.

The troubles that Moshe has visited on Egypt have not dented the spirit of Pharaoh. Only when finally his own life is threatened and when all of Egypt is mourning its deaths does Pharaoh waver in his determination to refuse Moshe's requests. And even then he will soon regret his decision to free the Jews from Egyptian slavery. What is the reason for Pharaoh's behavior?
His advisers have long ago declared to him that Egypt is lost if he continues on his present course of recalcitrant behavior. Yet Pharaoh is unwilling to concede to Moshe. Their discussions and differences have now turned personal and no logic can any longer rule the day. His angry outburst to Moshe and his banishing him from his palace marks the breaking point in his behavior.
There will be no reasoning with him from now forward. Only the blows of the deaths of the first born Egyptians will affect him and, as mentioned above, only weakly and temporarily. His stubbornness will eventually lead to great tragedy and loss for his people.
But that is always the way of tyrants. Blinded by one's own ego, uncaring as to the fate of others, deluded by one's own alleged infallibility, stubbornness and illogic rule the day. Pharaoh cannot be wrong. He seems himself as never having been wrong.

If you have company sponsored health care you now own it, your salary is increased by the amount you company used to contribute and you get the tax break for it ... and the state mandates and cross border barriers are removed ... everyone joins one big pool per insurance company ...

individuals could buy into these pools and insurance companies would be required offer catastrophic policies which which make it more affordable for everyone ...

this would accomplish several things ...

it would create less risk pools but much larger ones for the insurance companies to manage (should reduce premiums)

this would reduce the issue of pre-existing conditions for many (not all but that is impossible without destroying the health insurance industry)

apply a small tax on every policy to fund a national hardship fund. Anyone who was about to lose coverage because they could no longer afford it due to hardship could apply for a subsidy to cover their premiums until their hardship ended. For people with no insurance and a pre-exisiting condition that makes them uninsurable they could be covered via this fund as well for the first couple of years. Once it starts you have to try and get coverage, not just once you discover you have a condition. After a few years if you have chosen not to play then you have to pay the price.

If you choose not to participate in any sort of coverage (that is why catastrophic policies and the hardship fund are needed) would have to live with the consequences of that decision and if they go bankrupt due to a health crisis, so be it.

some folks who apply for the hardship support may be assigned to Medicare or Medicaid.

no illegals could receive hardship funding but could buy into the pools if they turn themselves in and immediately begin immigration processing (they would be classified as prospective citizens with no guarentee that they would ever get citizenship).

Mmm...yes. I personally have been convinced by Obey-Won. The generally-liberal voters of Massachusetts elected a Republican to a Senate seat that literally reeks of Democrat it's "belonged" to them for so long...because they're mad at Bush.

Seems like Big Pharm and Big Medicine were in on almost every back-room, closed door deal the Dem's were making. Look at the blunder of a fund raiser Coakley had in Washington..who were the major donors there Steve?

I know you want to demonize anyone you can and your "championing" of the poor is comendable, BUT let's face it, the people don't want the facists to take over our health care, it's as simple as that.

"It is shocking how arrogant Barack Obama and his leftist allies are."-kp

I've been monitoring the more activist, less thoughtful, rightwing radio programs today, and the overwhelming impression, per the tightly screened callers, is that the right is "outraged" (to cite one caller quote to Limbaugh), and that, in the wake of the Coakley defeat, Democratic operatives (and their families) aren't all committing mass suppuko in the foyers of DNC HQ suites across the nation.

Kim P's adjectival "shocking" is a reminder that Some People are never satisfied, Superman does not exist, and there should be no expectation of "The End" or "FINI" being projected on the ether and carried by satellite worldwide.

(Locally, I hear complaints that the Tulsa World relegated the Massachusetts story to page A-8.)

"...the right is "outraged" and that, in the wake of the Coakley defeat, Democratic operatives (and their families) aren't all committing mass suppuko in the foyers of DNC HQ suites across the nation."

Could it be their outraged by the comments of Barry, Axelrod, Baghdad Bob, Nancy and Harry that Tuesdays election 'was no big thing'. Business as usual. Health Care "reform" still going through?

"Not just because of what's happened in the last year or two years, but what's happened over the last eight years."

Yeah. They're so angry about the last eight years they elected a Republican Senator to fill a seat that was occupied by a liberal for the whole eight years plus 30 more....And two Governors and damn near another Congressman.

Is this guy for real?

Another funny thing is he's been saying "eight years" for a year now. Does this mean he's forgiven Bush for his first year?

"The Senate certainly shouldn't try to jam anything through until Scott Brown is seated," the president said."

Heh. Oh, so it's the SENATE that was trying to jam this through? That's rich, coming from Barry. He's been pushing this thing to pass quickly and now he wants to look 'moderate' and imply that it is only the Senate going too fast.

How's it feel to be under that bus, Congressional Democrats? Y'all have been taking the heat for Barry from your constituents and now Barry cuts you off at the knees.

"If there's one thing that I regret this year is that we were so busy just getting stuff done and dealing with the immediate crises that were in front of us that I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are and why we have to make sure those institutions are matching up with those values"

Obama is actually trying to make the case that the american people didnt hear him well enough and understand him enough.

If anything I think the opposite is true.

And I see Steve Green stuck his head up. How's that hope and change working for Marcia Coakley there Stevie boy?

The arrogance of the left democratic leaders has stunned the country into action. The citizens know this is our country and our will has to be heard. They were not listening in fact they were calling the people names or dismissing them. If they choose to keep following that path, it works out fine for conservatives. ww

"I predict a moderate Democratic bill passing with bipartisan support including Brown(R-MA)."

Notice that you, bryanD, said a moderate DEMOCRATIC bill. Nothing in there about a bill put together by a bipartisan group. In plain English - "get some stupid fucking Republicans to go along with what we have written".

"to hell with the idiots who bend over and carry water for the mega-buck health care industry."

You mean like the doctors and nurses who don't want their jobs to be done away with by federal 'cost savings' and rationed care?

Health care is 1.6th of the economy and that means a lot of jobs and a lot of people putting food on their tables. I'm sorry if people making a living taking care of your sick family is an inconvenience for you. Next time someone in your family is sick why not find someone who will take care of them for nothing since that is what you seem to think that health care workers deserve.

Mind you in Obama;s world it's only a matter of time before he gets around to all the 'fat cats' who work in your industry.